Spellbound
by filmfanatic-29
Summary: AU. "There's nothing. There's nothing between us and there's no great mystery. Please," Leslie begged. She didn't think she could take watching someone else fade before her eyes." One night, Leslie meets a handsome stranger and she's reminded of a time when love was possible. Features Vampire!Leslie. Oneshot. COMPLETE.


**Author's Note: Man, talk about a hiatus. My life has been all over the place. I went back to school, so I've been juggling work and school for a long time. I never imagined I would be away from writing for this long. I'm really embarrassed. But I've had the urge to get back to writing if possible. I started this SO LONG AGO when I was having a LOT of trouble with my other fic "A Story of Boy Meets Girl". It's sort of crack, but it was a lot of fun to write. I'm not sure if anyone still reads Parks and Rec fanfiction but if you do, I hope you like it! This is an oneshot, but I may turn this into a multi-chaptered fic if I get a good response. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Parks and Recreation in any way; I'm just a simple fan. **

She could feel his pulse under her lips, steady and sure, and she shivered in anticipation. Leslie's fangs practically ached with the need to emerge and sink into the warm flesh to taste the stranger's blood, but she resisted. The Hunger was gnawing at her, angry at her rebellion, and it silently urged her to give in. It would be so easy….so worth it….Leslie jerked away to prevent it from taking over. No, she wasn't going to lose against it and hurt someone! Leslie wasn't just some _animal; _she could control herself.

The handsome guy, Mark something, looked at her in confusion and Leslie gave him an apologetic smile. What on earth could she say? Hi, I'm a vampire; something that you never imagined could possibly be real… is it okay if I suck your blood?

"I'm really sorry," she said truthfully and walked away without another word. Leslie heard him calling out after her, but she ignored him. It was better this way. It had been so tempting; her skin was still buzzing with the prospect of hot, rushing blood. Leslie took a shaky breath and realized that she desperately needed to calm down. She needed to be alone. Leslie knew that the only way the night would end without bloodshed would be to leave.

She willed her limbs to move and take her away into the blessed night, but she couldn't. Shame washed over her. Instead of slipping out and silently escaping, she settled in a quiet spot in the corner. At least it offered her a modicum of privacy while she tried to collect herself.

It was the perfect spot to casually people watch.

She had always loved doing this, even when she was human. People were so often unaware and oblivious; it was all too easy to observe funny quirks and secret intrigues. Sometimes she made up long, winding biographies of different people and created all these crazy scenarios.

The Snakehole Lounge was the perfect venue to watch people. It was crowded, loud, and wonderful. Leslie loved coming to this club; she simply to lost herself in the dizzying energy, noise, and sheer life that surrounded her. Although she was no longer human, Leslie could still _remember _being human. Those memories flooded her when her body moved with the music and she absolutely loved it. It was the best feeling in the world. Well, not the best, but the only vice she would allow herself. She could pretend, just for a little while, that she was a normal woman just having fun. Perhaps it was stupid to even think like that.

But she didn't think she could go on without that little bit of stupid. So she danced and danced, blonde hair whirling, hips swaying, listening to blood throb.

It was a Friday night, so the bar was absolutely packed. Leslie's eyes casually scanned the room while tried to calm herself. Sometimes the proximity to people was pure torture. It was easy to hear each heartbeat, even above the loud music, and tonight was one of those nights that fueled the Hunger. Leslie didn't want to leave, but the craving was so intense. It was digging at her, pushing her, surrounding her and she absolutely hated it. Leslie whimpered softly and pressed her head into her hands.

"Are you okay?" Leslie glanced up to see a man looking at her in concern. He was cute, with short dark hair and soft brown eyes. Dressed in a plaid shirt and khakis, Leslie thought he looked a little out of place in a dark club, but she guessed he came straight from work.

"I'm fine," she assured him, annoyed. She was trying to hide, and she didn't appreciate the intrusion. The man didn't seem convinced and he frowned at her. He seemed unphased by her obvious scowl.

"Can I get you a water or something? You look a little pale, do you need a doctor? Or can I grab a seat for you? "

"No." She scrunched up her face and glared.

He smiled at her, gently, and nodded in acceptance. "Okay, got you. I'm here with a friend, right over by that small table. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help." Without another word, he turned and walked away. Leslie felt a small twinge of guilt; he didn't seem like a bad guy. Like at all.

"Thanks anyway," Leslie called after him. He turned back around and gave her a quick grin. She blinked, surprised at the flash of desire and attraction that curled up her spine, but she turned away. She didn't need him. If she wanted someone, she could always have that Mark guy later. He didn't seem too picky.

But for some reason, her eyes followed the stranger as he left and stayed on him for the rest of the night. It looked like he was there with a guy, dressed similarly in a blue dress shirt and a pair of slacks. She was pretty sure that her guess about them coming after work was correct. He didn't talk to other women, a small observation that made her pleased.

He had a good smile. It was full, lips quirking slightly, and his right eyebrow quirked as well. It made his face interesting. When talking to his friend, he focused entirely on him and it looked like he was paying attention. Whenever the crowd swelled around him, he scowled. Maybe not the biggest people person then. But he was cute, in the quiet nerdy way.

Leslie thought that she had been very discreet but apparently not. His friend noticed her and gave him a small nudge with his shoulder. The man looked at her again, and she saw that same beautiful smile. Soft, tender, nice.

His friend nudged him again and laughed when he got up. She couldn't hear what was being said but she assumed it was some teasing remark because he swatted his friend on the arm and shook his head in embarrassment. He made his way towards her. It would have been so easy to escape and slip away, but Leslie felt as if she was trapped. She couldn't walk away, and she knew in that moment that she was a fucking idiot.

"I'm sorry to bother you but I wanted to ask if I could buy you a drink," he said when he reached her. "I would always regret not asking. We could sit at the bar if you like. Or not. I just, well, uh, wanted to see. My friend said he thought it was a good idea and normally I don't listen to him, but you're so pretty and uh…Wow, I sound crazy. I get it if you don't want to. But yeah, would you like to join me at the bar for a drink?" He said it with no real pressure, like some other guys, and she knew that if she turned him down, he would accept it. He wouldn't pout or try to push her or make her feel like the bad guy. He would nod and leave. He would give her total control of the situation. It was surprising, _and attractive _a dangerous voice in her mind whispered, and Leslie couldn't help but smile in response. He smiled too and there it was again. That hot flash of WANT, different from the normal Hunger that plagued her. Leslie didn't know what made this one different, but he was. For some reason, he was.

She nodded in acceptance and the pair headed towards the crowded bar and snatched two empty seats. He ordered a beer for himself and a Malibu Bay Breeze for her. Leslie tried not to make a face while she drank it; the sweetness was disgusting. Once upon a time, she used to put whipped cream in coffee. Now, she couldn't even stomach the memory.

"I'm Ben," he said, and Leslie introduced herself in turn.

"Is this your first time here?" She asked. Leslie had never seen him before, she would remember him.

"Yeah I don't normally do the whole bar scene," Ben replied. "But I've been told to 'branch out' so here I am. It's not too bad here. A little crowded maybe, but at least they serve good beer. I was really dreading it, but the night has certainly improved." He glanced at her, half pleased and half embarrassed, waiting eagerly for her reaction, and she smirked. It was nice to see that he was just as affected as she was.

"So what do you do?" Ben asked interestedly.

"Government work," she answered vaguely.

"Oh really?" His eyes sparked in interest. "I'm a state auditor! Wow, that's crazy. I'm surprised we haven't run into each other at some point, you know. What department do you work in?"

"Parks and recreation," she answered promptly. What better cover for a vampire? He blinked and she could tell that he was a little surprised by her answer. She wondered what department he thought she worked in.

"Parks are one of the greatest services we can offer," she huffed. "They offer a safe space for children to play, grow, explore! Kids need to get out more, experience life, and not sit in front of a screen! They need to move and get dirt on their clothes. Plus parks offer the perfect spot for venues or ceremonies or any event really that brings the community together. There's such a disconnect now between people and maybe parks don't solve that completely, but they help! They're the first step to communication and cooperation! You bring people together, in a beautiful place, and maybe they feel more open. Anyway, parks are absolutely gorgeous and make everything look better." She inhaled and winced slightly. Leslie hadn't intended to go off like that. But still, he didn't have the right to look down on parks.

Not when he could enjoy them in ways she never could.

"Wow, I've never heard a speech like that. You're so passionate about it, you light up. It's really incredible." Leslie flushed slightly at that; when was the last time anyone had said something so sweet so casually? Like it was a fact, like of course she was special.

God, she wanted him.

They talked for an hour about various public projects and politics, and it wasn't until two hours into their conversation that Leslie realized she was having fun. She wasn't thinking about blood and the all-encompassing Hunger; she was thinking only of him. It was a nice change.

So they talked and talked and talked until the bar kicked them out. They stood outside, cold air biting them, as awkwardness settled around them. They had reached the point of the night where someone needed to make a move.

If Leslie had been human, maybe she would have gone for it. But she wasn't so she didn't.

"I'll get you a cab if you like," he offered politely, eyes focused on his shoes. She knew that he didn't offer to drive her home because he didn't want to put any pressure or assumptions on her. He was so goddamn polite. Ben was so stupidly _nice_.

Leslie couldn't stop herself. She leaned forward slowly, the tantalizing scent of his skin filling her senses, and she brushed her lips against his. Ben didn't respond at first but when Leslie pulled away, he closed the gap between them once again.

For all his timidity, Ben knew how to kiss. There was no hesitation or questioning. Their mouths moved against each other in perfect synchronization and the sensation made Leslie's entire body vibrate with want. Her hands automatically found their way into his hair and Leslie molded her body against his. He was so warm, and he felt so good... She could feel him shiver in desire and it increased her own need. She wanted to catalog every reaction, pinpoint what made him weak and needy. Ben's tongue traced the seam of her lips and she opened her mouth to grant him further access. Leslie heard a strangled gasp and she felt Ben jerk away from her. She opened her eyes, confused by his reaction, but when she felt her fangs against her lips, Leslie stilled. She slowly pulled back and cautiously stepped away from him.

"What are you?" His voice was a whisper, but she could hear the fear and confusion in his voice. His eyes were searching hers as if he could decode the great mystery just by looking at her.

"Walk away." She was an idiot, what did she expect, she still wanted him, she needed to get away. Go, go, go, before it's too late.

"What are you?" Ben repeated more firmly.

"You wouldn't believe me. Trust me."

"Leslie, please, I don't understand." Ben's voice was panicked.

"I'm a vampire," Leslie said. The words hung limply in the air. She had never said the words aloud; she was surprised by how easy it was. Why on earth did she tell practically a stranger? She just loved to torture herself. Ben gasped and looked at her as if she had grown a second head. Perhaps that would have been less shocking for him. His mouth flapped open and close as if he was trying to form words but was unable to process them. Leslie supposed that she would have a hard time too.

"Wow," he exhaled after a couple of minutes. "Either I'm drunk or you're crazy." Ben laughed and rubbed his eyes. His attitude stung although she would never admit it.

"I almost got you," she chuckled wryly. Leslie looked at him in his clean shirt and she didn't want him to have any part of her world. Vampires are creatures, beings warped and out of sync with nature, frozen forever. Ben deserved better. Or maybe, more accurately, she didn't deserve him.

"I'm gonna go," she whispered. If she didn't leave, she didn't know what she would do. Bleed him dry? Kiss him? Either one seemed like a good option. Obviously, the best option would be to kill him. No witness, no questions.

No smile.

No, as smart as it would be, she couldn't bring herself to kill him.

"You're drunk and this is just a weird night. Leave it at that." She turned away and slipped into the night, her heels clicking faintly on the ground. He didn't follow her.

Suddenly, she desperately wished that she could still cry.

_XxXx_

Leslie avoided the club for a couple of weeks, but it still called to her. Eventually she found herself back on another Friday night, pretending like she wasn't looking for a certain dark-haired man.

"So you're actually real," a voice said from behind her. Leslie stiffened and turned around to see Ben staring at her. She couldn't read his expression, but his body language betrayed his nervousness. His fists were clenched at his sides and his eyes were wary.

"Hey stranger." It was better to keep it casual, uneventful, and pretend as if nothing ever happened between them.

"I've been looking for you," he confessed softly. "I couldn't stop thinking about you."

"Don't," she warned.

Ben looked at her and she felt herself weaken. She still wanted him for some reason.

"Please, I really want to talk to you. I felt, this connection or something, and I really think there's something. I don't know."

"There's nothing. There's nothing between us and there's no great mystery. Please," Leslie begged. She didn't think she could take watching someone else fade before her eyes. She remembered every line of every face she ever loved, crumbling before her, helpless against time.

Could she let someone in, just to have it repeat all over again?

"I'm not going to say anything about you to anyone. Ever. I would never do that. I just want to understand," Ben said and all she could hear was his utter sincerity. "I just…"

Einstein had once famously said that insanity was doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Well, apparently, she was insane.

XxXx

"I still can't believe it."

They had left the bar quietly and headed towards the local park. It was dark and deserted. Leslie thought for sure that he wouldn't want to go there (seriously, had he ever seen a horror movie?) but Ben insisted.

To be fair, it was the type of conversation that was best private.

"That's what I told myself when I first felt the Hunger," Leslie answered. "I thought I was losing my mind, but as soon as I felt it, I knew. You know how every book, movie, and television show describes the overwhelming desire for blood? Well, they don't even come close." Her voice dropped. "Every single cell craves it, you hear it beating all the time, and the _smell_….No human can ever understand it."

"When did you become…a…you know?"

"A long time ago." At first, she had counted every millisecond of her new existence, but now the days melted together. Each one the same, each one never ending.

"I can still remember the sun," she murmured fondly. "I used to love the bright rays, the feeling on my skin, the complete and utter warmth." Leslie sighed and she closed her eyes, overwhelmed by the memories. Sometimes she liked to sit in the park at night and just pretend that she was still human. Those thoughts and emotions were blurry now, vague human recollections, but Leslie tried to recapture them. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.

"I would spend all my time in parks," she remarked. "There's something magical about them, you know?"

"There's something magical about you."

"Wow, you have a line for every situation," Leslie teased. She was delighted when she saw that the tips of his ears turned red.

"No listen! Really! This is uh…a lot of information to process. But still, nobody would believe you exist. You're a feat of nature. You…." Ben shrugged his shoulders. "You're part of something bigger."

"This existence isn't something to want," Leslie snapped. "It's not some grand miracle. It's pain, it's hunger, but that's it."

"How do you feed your…hunger?" The all-important question. The one TRUE question. Ben looked at her intensely, waiting for her answer.

"I don't WANT to want blood. I've never killed anyone," Leslie swore vehemently. "I would never do that! I'd rather starve." When she had first been turned, she had come close. But that was one line that she would never cross. "There's a new synthetic blood and I've had previous…partners I guess, that would let me feed off them. There's always a way."

He looked at her and she could see that he didn't understand. Not really. But he was trying.

"I don't want to be like this. I had a life, once upon a time, and that's what I want. All I want to be is human. When I'm with you, for some reason, I forget I'm not," she murmured. What a horrible confession.

"Let me help you forget." Ben purposefully took a step closer and brought his hands up to her face. Each movement was slow and controlled, allowing her plenty of time to escape if she wanted. But she didn't. She didn't resist him when he pressed his lips against hers and she didn't resist him when he pulled her body against his.

For a moment, one beautiful moment, she felt like the invincible Leslie Knope.

**Thanks for reading, hope you liked it! Please review if possible! I haven't written in so long, I'm not sure if I still have it!**


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